Former Maryland athletic director, track coach and sprinter James "Jim" Kehoe was inducted into the United States Track Coaches Hall of Fame during ceremonies Dec. 5, 1998 at the annual USTCA convention in Orlando, Fla.

Kehoe was one of five former coaches to be inducted in 1998. Others include Bill Dellinger (Oregon), Joe Newton (York High School), Tom Tellez (Houston) and Stan Wright (Texas Southern).

Kehoe completed over 39 years at Maryland, announcing his retirement in 1978 after serving as the Terrapins' athletic director since September 1969. During his tenure as the Terps' top administrator, he spearheaded a nine-year run that produced 40 Atlantic Coast Conference team championships, as compared to just 24 by runner-up North Carolina. He took over an athletic program that operated a $1.5 million budget with 12 varsity sports, and retired while leaving behind a program operating on a $3 million budget with 23 varsity teams. Revenue-producing sports were particularly successful, with football, men's and women's basketball, and lacrosse teams annually representing Maryland in NCAA championship competition and numerous football bowl games.

Kehoe's legacy, however, was built largely upon his background first as an athlete, and later a Terrapin coach. After 18 months of military service in the South Pacific where he earned five service medals and a Bronze Star, he returned to his alma mater where he would guide the Terrapin track program to 48 Southern Conference and ACC conference titles. His teams captured all but one of the ACC indoor and outdoor championships during his 16 years in the league. He also produced eight cross country titles.

He graduated from Bel Air High School and attended the University of Maryland where he was undefeated in dual-meet competition as an athlete. A star half-miler in high school, he set Terrapin school records in the two-mile and the half-mile. His half-mile mark of 1:50.7 remained unbroken for 23 years. Kehoe graduated from the university in 1940, and in 1942, following a brief stint as a high school teacher and coach, began military service in World War II.